Statkraft Fund rewards efforts on behalf of children and environment-friendly energy with NOK 5 million

Statkraft Fund rewards efforts on behalf of children and environment-friendly energy with NOK 5 million

03.02.2006 08.00 | pressrelease

(Oslo, 3 February 2006) The Statkraft Fund is awarding the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association, Save the Children Norway, the Norwegian YMCA-YWCA scouts, the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature/Friends of the Earth Norway, and Blekkulf's Eco-detectives a total of NOK 5 million for teaming up with nature. This is the second time Statkraft supports worthy causes through the Statkraft Fund.

"It is a pleasure to support the voluntary efforts of these organisations which promote environmental and social development at home and abroad," says President and CEO of Statkraft Bård Mikkelsen.

The aim of the Statkraft Fund - Teaming up with Nature is to support worthy causes. The fund will award up to NOK 5 million each year to voluntary organisations, charitable foundations, etc, either on the basis of an application from the organisation itself or after a decision by Statkraft's management.

The 2006 award goes to the Norwegian Mountain Touring Association (DNT), Save the Children Norway, the Norwegian YMCA-YWCA scout troops in Alta and Inderøy, the Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature/Friends of the Earth Norway's branch in Vest-Agder, and Blekkulf's Eco-detectives' club in Telemark. This year's award totals NOK 5 million. The DNT will receive NOK 2.5 million, Save the Children NOK 2 million. The other organisations will receive NOK 125,000 each. An internal jury at Statkraft evaluated some 50 applications and based its awards on the following grounds:

The Norwegian Mountain Touring Association will receive NOK 2.5 million. The DNT's worthy efforts facilitate access to the countryside, making it easy for people to go for walking and skiing trips in the mountains and forests. The DNT promotes enjoyment and local involvement in the places where it has a presence. By operating a network of cabins and hosting events, the DNT nurtures cultural traditions of using the natural environment. Statkraft will cooperate closely with the DNT to encourage the use of environment-friendly energy at selected mountain cabins, thereby promoting well-balanced outdoor leisure activities - and teaming up with nature.

Save the Children Norway will receive NOK 2 million. Save the Children's groundbreaking global initiative to educate children affected by armed conflict strongly promotes sustainable development. In cooperation with local communities, Save the Children will assist the most vulnerable groups in conflict-ridden areas of Uganda and Nepal. Schools will give children a real opportunity to free themselves from the shackles of forced labour, military recruitment and sexual abuse. Statkraft's joint venture SN Power has operations in these countries, and would like to offer long-term assistance to this generation in order to lay the foundation for the future together - by teaming up with nature.

The Norwegian YMCA-YWCA scout troops in Alta and Inderøy counties will receive NOK 125,000 each. The YMCA/YWCA scouts encourage children and young people to use the countryside and enjoy outdoor life. Through its scouting traditions, the Norwegian YMCA/YWCA has increased the public's knowledge of the countryside. They aim to be door openers to the forest and fields for people of all sorts in all types of weather - by teaming up with nature".

The Norwegian Society for the Conservation of Nature/Friends of the Earth Norway's branch in Vest-Agder County will receive NOK 125,000. The Vest-Agder branch's Naturvokter (Guardian of Nature) project facilitates very young children's access to the countryside through exciting, concrete activities. The project stimulates children's curiosity and participation; they will be building and putting up birdfeeders and birdhouses - and teaming up with nature.

Blekkulf's Eco-detectives' club in Telemark County will receive NOK 125,000. The Telemark club is a small organisation that initiates measures to promote environment-friendly activities in day-to-day life. Blekkulf's Eco-detectives focuses it efforts on the everyday things that children and adults can do together, encouraging knowledge which contributes to the sustainable use of natural resources - and teaming up with nature.

The Statkraft Fund has the following objectives:

To make the countryside more accessible to the local population and various user groups.

To stimulate a more sustainable use of our natural environment.

To increase the safety of those using the countryside.

To increase the public's knowledge of the countryside in general, or of particular natural environments, fauna or flora.

To contribute to the clean-up or restoration of areas of natural interest.

To preserve historical or cultural traditions through the use of the countryside or natural resources.

To promote the use of environment-friendly energy.

To promote such issues as safety, innovation, dialogue and/or other issues which we emphasis in the exercise of our business activities.

To promote our local presence and/or in other relevant ways support the regions and countries in which we have operations.

Statkraft aims to be a European leader in environment-friendly energy. Based on more than 100 years of knowledge and investments, the Statkraft Group is well equipped for further growth and development - and has a clearly stated desire to create lasting value. Statkraft stands for sustainable development in both an environmental and a financial sense. The Group produces a total of 42 TWh per year, making it the third-largest producer of electricity in the Nordic region and the second-largest producer of renewable energy in Europe. The group has approximately 2,000 employees including the subsidiaries Skagerak Energi and Trondheim Energiverk. Statkraft also has shareholdings in the Norwegian power companies BKK, Agder Energi and Fjordkraft, as well as in the Swedish company E.ON Sverige.